Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 12.3
Potential impacts of global warming on soil properties and processes in the Southern
Circumpolar Region
Bioclimatic
zone
W. Antarctica
Maritime
E. Antarctica Maritime
Interior Mountains
Regions
So. Orkney I., So.
Shetland I., Palmer
Archipelago (8)
Schirmacher Oasis (1),
Molodezhnaya (2),
Ingrid Christensen coast
(3), Windmill I. (4)
QML Mtns. (1), Scott-Tula
Mtns. (2), Prince Chas.,
Grove Mtns. (3), Thiel-
Pensacola Mtns. (5a), TAM
(5b), Ellsworth Mtns. (6),
MBL Mtns. (7), Palmer-
Graham Mtns. (8)
Ice-free area
(km
2
)
1,200 (2.4 %)
1,245 (2.5 %)
47,055 (95.1 %)
Change in
ice-free area
m+
m+
s+
Primary
production
m+
m+
s+
Respiration
m+
m+
s+
Soil organic C
(%)
m+
m+
s+
Depth to ice
cement
m+
m+
s+
Salinization
o
s−
m−
Rubifi cation
m+
m+
s+
Pervection
m+
m+
s+
Adapted from Bockheim (
1993
)
m
moderate change,
s
slight change,
o
no change, + increase, − decrease
12.5
Summary
The high-latitude and high-elevation cryosols are experiencing some of the greatest
warming over the past several decades of anywhere on Earth. This has resulted in
increases in active-layer thickness in low Arctic and alpine cryosols and an increase
in permafrost temperatures. There have already been reports of changes in soil prop-
erties and processes and continued changes can be expected (Fig.
12.3
).
